It's All Over

Well-I did it! Yay for me! I now have 3 less teeth.

Recovery is odd. The side of my mouth where two teeth were removed is hurting a lot more than the other side which now is not giving me any pain. But on that more painful side, it's the bottom extraction that hurts more than the top which supposedly was more difficult to remove.

The whole wisdom tooth removal process was odd thinking back on it. When they called me back into the surgery room, they sat me down and while they go about prepping for surgery, they try to make the experience "fun". They asked questions about my personal life, asked which radio station I like, and as they are moving around the room are dancing along to music. They fit a cap over my hair, and slipped a paper gown over my arms. I took a Motrin pain pill with water, rinsed my mouth with antiseptic and took my blood pressure. They also put clips on my finger, wrists, and leg to monitor my heart rate, and started the nitrous. Of course this makes me feel tingly and while it helped me to relax I was totally paranoid about how my hands are wet with sweat and how I could taste the nitrous and it was making me sleepy.

When the doctor comes in he makes jokes about not looking while he inserts the IV for sedation. "Nothing to see here, move along, look away." He comments on how there is a good song on the radio that he hasn't heard in a long time. And then I am out. I feel myself coming to while surgery is still going on. I know this because I feel pulling and tugging, and hear the assistant talking and the surgeon saying, "Almost done here" and I remember groaning. I remember being annoyed and thinking, "Why am I waking up now? I don't want to hear and feel this! What the hell?" But then I was out again and when I woke up the room was empty except for the two assistants coming in and out. They move me to the recovery cot where I began shivering from the anesthesia. They call Jake back with my jacket and he rubs my back and arms as I go in and out.

The pain hasn't been as bad as I thought but it is definitely a major discomfort. I am pleased however that I don't have chipmunk cheeks or any bruising. I've also been icing regularly and I am hoping by tomorrow my pain level will be much lower. I'll be glad when this diet of soup, pudding, and soft solids will be over. It hurts to open my mouth and chew. I am dying to try the new bread from the breadmaker too! Jake says it is awesome and James scarfed it down with his dinner too. I made a sweet loaf tonight with bananas and brown sugar.

Anyhow-I am glad this is all over. Now we can have another baby and now for the rest of my life I can happily eat popcorn, granola, and any other kind of small, hard, crunchy item without fear of it getting trapped behind my teeth. Again-Yay for me!